Two-way safety release for needle drive for balers



April 22, 1952 BORNZlN 2,593,653

Two-WAY SAFETY RELEASE FOR NEEDLE DRIVE FOR BALERS 2 SHEETS-SHEET 1 Filed Aug. 19, 1949 INVENTOR JAMES H.

BORNZIN F A ril 22, 1952 J. H. BORNZIN TWO-WAY SAFETY RELEASE FOR NEEDLE DRIVE FOR BALERS 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 Filed Aug. 19, 1949 INVENTOR AMES H. BORNZIN PM ATTY.

Patented Apr. 22, 1952 UNITEYFDW sm'r s non of New Jersey Animation August is, 1949; semi No: 111,201 4- drains; (o1. fooit)" This invention relates toa new two-way safety release for needle drive for balers.- v s Hay balers; and. particularly automatic h ay balers, employ bale tying mechanisms which are very exacting in their operation and require numerous expensive parts; It is a principal obje'ct of this invention to' eliminate the possibility of damageto the bale tying mechanisms.

An important objecto't thisinvention the provision of meansin a strand tying hay haler for asafety release" in thewire-carrying needle Another and further; important object of this invention is to provide in a hay balera strand carrying needlefor encircling a strand abp ut a formed bale and means in theneedle, drive for automatically releasing the drive should; the needle' become jammed or otherwise inoperalole Another and still further important object oi? this invention is' to supply a strand tyinghay baler with yieldable-safety release means capable of actuation during any portion of the strand encircling operationso that if thestrand'pecoi'nes kinkedor otherwise fails to fpayff out during either an w r or dpwnwa -1 1W 2 9 vth strand carrying needle the drivewill'be 'automatically disconnected. V v,

This" invention is an; improvementovei' the mechanism shown in thejcopendin'g Patent 2,485;- 001 entitled Wire Balerf which issued October 19, 1949. In thiscopending'patent a safety release: means: employed in theine'edle eb 'i o l s r-1 f amass w n th needle is progressing' through its forward; or" upwardstroke through the bale chamben. 'lfh present invention obviates this: possible sh'rtcoming and employs a' novel release mechan sm capable-of drive disconnection in either direction of travel of the strand carryin'g nee'dle'.

A still further important object ofth'is'invention is to rcvme'nieansm a safety releasernechianism for'driv'ingelements in'which the drive mechanism will automatically re'engage during each eyele of opi'atio ri' off the, drive and ,th reuiionifthejcaus' time drive being' initially'nsep a'rated isjeliniinated' then drive" may and will anomaucanyresgme; p

Otherand further important objectsof this invention will become apparent from thedis'o'losures the following-' specification and ac'com' pan-ying drawings in which:

Fig. 1 isaside'elevational:view ofa baler employing the" safety 're'leasemechanism o'f this invention.

Fig; 2-is a 'sectiona lview taken on the-'1ine 2-2 o f Fig" 1';

Fig. 3 isa' side elevational view similar-1ta that or Fig; 1 and showing the releasable-mechanisni in disengaged-position during upward movement ofthe strandcarryingneedle, A H M N I Fig. 4 is a view partially in section-oj the safety release mechanism shown in drive disconnected siti n. i .l .t Fig. 518:8; Sideelevational view similar to 3 but with the safety releasemeehanismshown released from the other side as caused' py a o nw m v me f Westrendwnyi needle as it pulls downwardly through the paling e A p H As wn t e aw n s. t e rv ier n anumeraL HL indicates generally a bale w fgrmin q b an t i l p i l fbleh lbe e l There are numerous paling machines of this type and hay is compressedas a rule-jay a reciprocating plunger. v A- strand t2 which may lee either wire or twine; is adapted to encircleethe formed ie s i r o qm the i 1s; afi her. As shown in Fig. 1 the wiretie strand L2 is carriedupwardly intoipqsition'throu g h thie balfh e s 10 .br me n stamped swi strand carrying; needles 1 I t having; spa cged g' l r l6 -at heir up e cede: -Th s of; st rand is a container Zilpositioned to one of the bale chamber l 0 and having: a coil therein adapted to have one end thereof et ng; through a d w a ex ens ia .iut fillaeq thence around a guide roller 24 and upwardly through the bale chamber [0. N L W 7 beba e e t r h ib sshame 193 aa h po it n. s l g i i w en: mere 2a l r i fe din -m d n. Tm '8 is adapted to-movethe material froin'a-r e a s-P m 01 1"- h e t vi iq p IPa Li ib i e up a Pl n es-th qrw 'ls fd of which is-shown at 30 compresses the hay ainst the vertical strand 32- extending upward y'trdrn the guide roller Zri to the needle gemeg rq1 ;1a-. the; l mevsi rzwar ly 'ih i ei s Pa h mberwflib ri ar t est of the vertical'p'ortion 3' ar'ida sp 0 portio'nili i jbi'fied'bya earnestness" 1g mon es. The portion 3420f the'st'r ii [Zinfeludes" the competed nci of} a comp dfhal'e 3B. A portion of thestrand' 4nflcorresponding' to the vertical rti 32; as een? extended about the top; the other endy-a'ndjthe b'dttoln the bale: by reason-of a payi g ou 7 Strand from-thecontainer zllevr w er 24 and-theneedle'guid'rollers mass it}? Ty r g} 01 17W is ting Inhani sjr h is tl'iiiliiibriiQi'lbIQY 011 the strand portions 34 and-40 and 'the' str'aiid severed at the bight portion 3'fi' so'that'the com pleted bale 38 may be discharged from the baling machine and remain compactly tied. This mechanism is described in detail in the copending patent of Paul Kane, mentioned above.

In order to complete the description of that portion of the baling machine pertinent to this invention it is pointed out that the bale chamber I8 is carried on a frame structure 42 which in turn is mounted on an axle 44 carried by spaced wheels, one of which is broken away to show the operating mechanisms. One of the wheel 48 is shown on the far side of the machine. Drive for the tie strand moving mechanism is taken from the shaft 48 which is driven by a power plant (not shown) forming a part of the baling machine, or

drive for the shaft 48 may be received through a tractor power-take-oif. An eccentric member 58 is attached to the shaft 48 by means by a key 52 and thus rotates with the shaft. The eccentric member 58 has a cam track 54 forming the outer periphery thereof. The cam track 54 is engaged by follower 58 which forms a part of a relatively long lover or arm 58 pivoted at 88 on a superstructure 62 of the framework 42. Thus, as the eccentric member 58 is rotated about the shaft 48 the arm 58 will swing back and forth in an oscillatory movement about the pivot 68. A lower depending end 64 of the arm 58 thus has movement through an arcuate path about pivot 88.

Reciprocal drive for the needle I4 is obtained through movement of this lower depending portion 64'of the arm 58. The needle I4 is provided with fixed angularly extending lever arms 68 fastened on a shaft 88 which carries the lower ends of the needles. The upper ends of the arms 66 are journaled in bearings 18 on the opposite sides of the bale forming chamber I8. The needles I4 and their unitary arms 88 are swung about their pivotal mountings I8 through a range beginning at the bottom of the bale chamber and passing upwardly therethrough to a position in which the needles project upwardly about the bale chamber I8 as indicated in Fig. 1. An arcuate guide track or shield 12 is carried on the frame structure 42 and tends to guide the needle in its travel beneath the bale chamber I8. Drive from the arm 58 to the needle structure and particularly the arm 86 is accomplished through a connecting link 14. The link 14 is pivotally mounted at 16 on the arm 66 and at its other end joins the arm 58 through the mechanism as shown in Fig. 2.

The connecting link 14 comprises a pair of spaced members '14 and 14 Swingable members, links, or arms 18 and 88 are hingdely mounted at 82 on the depending portion 84 of the arm 58 and project downwardly and outwardly therefrom and thence downwardly in parallel relationship to a position adjacent the bottom of the depending arm 64 whereupon the side members I8 and 88 are inclined toward each other as shown at 83 and 84 and thereupon again extend downwardly in parallelism closely adjacent each other as shown at 86 and 88. Each of these portions 86 and 88 is provided with a transversely disposed aligned opening 98 ,and 92 respectively through which a shaft or pin 94 is adapted to pass. The shaft 94 is in the form of a bolt having a head 96 and adjustable nut means 98 at the opposite end thereof. Springs I88 and I82 are disposed between the member 88 and the nut 98 and the member 88 and the bolt head 95 respec tively. These springs are substantially equal in strength and act to force the members 88 and 88 yieldably together. I

= within a conical-shaped socket H8 in the lower end of the depending portion 84 of the swingable drive arm 58. The depending arm 84 is provided with wear plates H2 and H4 on opposite sides thereof for the purpose of reinforcing the edge.

strength of the conical socket H8 in one side thereof and a conical socket I I8 in the other side thereof which is engaged by a conical member The member H8 is mounted on a bolt I28 corresponding to the bolt I84 also having a head I22. The bolt I28 with its conical inner end H8 and its outer head I22 joins the arms 14* and 88 as a pivotal unit.

Drive for the needles I4 is thus made possible through the yieldable linkage just described in Fig. 2, whereupon the reciprocal swinging movement of the arm 58 is imparted to the needle arms 58 by the connecting link 14. Throughout all ordinary operation of the baler the tie strand I2 is fed from the container 28 around the roller guide members and upwardly through the bale chamber by the needles I4. As long as the strand pays out freely from the container 28 and there is no other jamming of the needles I4, the springs W8 and 182 will maintain the conical members I88 and H8 in engaging position with the conical receiving sockets in the lower end of the depending portion 84 of the drive arm 58 and thus drive through this mechanism will remain in operation.

In the event there is a tanglin of the strand and an excessive force is applied to the needles I4 during the movement of the needles upwardly through the bale chamber I8 as shown in Fig. 3, the drive arm 59 may swing away from the conical projection members I88 and H8 by reason of the arms 18 and 88 spreading against the action of the springs I88 and I82, thus causing a disconnecting of the drive from the arm 58 to the needles I4. The arm 58 is permitted to make its arcuate swinging movement about its pivotal mounting 68 while the arms I8 and 88 carrying the release mechanism freely swing about their pivotal attachment 82 on the arm 58. In the event the. wire tangle is corrected or the other reason for jamming of the needles is removed, then upon the succeeding cycle or swinging movement of the arm 58 the arms I8 and 88 will be spread apart upon each cycle movement of the arm 58 and the male conical members I88 and H8 will reengage the conical-shaped sockets H8 and H6 in the arm 58, whereupon drive to the needles will be reengaged and operation of the baler resumed. However, if the reason for jamming or breaking of the needle drive is not corrected during a cycle swing movement of the arm 58, the operation of the releasing and reengaging will be continued without any driving movement of the needles I4. The spreading of the arms l8 and 88 against the action of the springs I88 and H32 upon a predetermined tension of the strand or any obstruction such as a.

withdrawing portion of the needle stroke. The symmetrical conical release mechanism is operable in either direction and thus release of needle drive is accomplished at any time the needle might become jammed. Successive cycles of swinging movement of the arm 58 will similarly cause a recngagement of the drive and a resuming of needle movement after the jamming reason has been removed. However, similarly to the position of the needle in Fig. 3, if the needle is still jammed upon a successive swinging movement of the arm 53, it will again and successively continue to disconnect the drive until the cause of jamming is corrected.

Obviously when the operator of this baling machine hears the snap-acting of the drive release mechanism operating he will immediately know that something is causing the needles to jam and if it does not immediately correct itself he will be sufnciently warned to turn off the source of power and correct the diificulty as necessary. Serious damage to the needles, breaking of the strand, or damage to the adjacent elements is prevented with the safety device of this invention employed thereon.

Numerous details of construction maybe varied throughout a wide range without departing from the principles disclosed herein and I therefore do not propose limiting the patent granted hereon otherwise than as necessitated by the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In a balin" mechanism having a bale chamher with an associated frame structure and reciprocating means for compressing hay in said nected to said link adjacent one end and pivotally secured to the lever at the other end for oscillating said lever arm, a spring-loaded latch member carried by said member and said swingable link, said latch member being releasably engageable with a portion of the lever whereby when a' predetermined tension is reached on the tie-strand, the latch will release thereby preventing breaking of the tie-strand and damage to the mechanism, means carrying the spring-loaded latch member comprising said swingable link having spaced arm portions, yieldable means normally holding said arm portions together, said member having spaced arm portions, and means joining one of each of the arm portions of the swingable link and the member, a projecting portion on each of said joining means, said lever having socket means for engagement by said pro- 6 j ecting portions, whereby needle drive continues as long as the projecting portions engage the socket means and ceases when the projecting portions ride out of the socket means.

2. A device as set forth in claim 1 in which the projecting portions are conical in and the socket means are similarly conical in shape whereby the riding of the projecting portions out of the sockets is assured regardless of which direction the needle is traveling when the tie strand jams.

3. In a ba ling mechanism having a bale chamber with an associated frame structure and reciprocating means for compressing hay in said chamber, a bale tie-forming means including means for holding a supply of tie-strand, a lever arm mounted on the bale chamber for oscillatory motion, an arcuate tie-strand carrying needle mounted on the end of said arm in a position to be moved into and through the bale chamber by oscillation of the arm, means for guiding a tiestrand from said supply to said needle, driving mechanism for said needle including a lever mounted for oscillation on the frame structure associated with the bale chamber, a swingable link pivoted to said lever, a member pivotally connected to said link adjacent one end and pivotally secured to the lever at the other end for oscillating said lever arm, a spring-loaded latch member carried by said member and said swingable link, said latch member being releasably cngageable with a portion of the lever whereby when a predetermined tension is reached on the tie-strand, the latch will release thereby preventing breaking of the tie-strand and damage to the mechanism, means carrying the spring-loaded latch member comprising said swingable link having spaced arm portions, yieldable means normally holding said arm portions together, said member having spaced arm portions, means joining one of each of the arm portions of the swingable link and the member, a projectin portion on each of said joining means, said lever having socket means for engagement by said projecting portions, whereby needle drive continues as long as the projecting portions engage the socket means-and ceases when the projecting portions ride out of the socket means, said yieldable means including said swingable link spaced arm portions having aligned openings, shaft means passing loosely through said aligned openings, end means for said shaft, and coil springs disposed between each of said arm portions and said shaft end means, whereby the coil springs urge the arm portions together.

4. A device as set forth in claim 3 in which at least one of said shaft end means is adjustably secured to said shaft to permit a pre-tensioning of the coil springs.

JAMES H. BORNZIN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,361,742 Bunn Oct. 31, 1944 2,446,878 Kampke et al Aug. 10, 1948 2,485,001 Kane Oct. 18, 1949 2,512,896 Hill et a1 June 27, 1950 

